Beverage cooler for bars



June 13, 1939. J. J. sPrrz BE-VERAGE COOLER FOR BARS` Filed June 11. 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 d wir June 13, 1939.

J. J. sPlTz 2,152,649

BEVERAGE COOLER FOR BARS Filed June l1, 1938 ZSheetS-Sheet 2 jill @SFI @ttm/m Panarea June ,13, 1939;

UNII'ED;` STATES i PATENTy oI-FlclsN n* BEVERAGE COOLER'FGB. BARS Jacob J. Spitz, Rochester, NfY.

Application June 11, 1938,5Sex'laly No. 213,264

14 Claims.

'Ihe invention relates to an apparatus for cooling beer, ale, and other beverages for bars.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, practical, and comparatively inex- 5 pensive apparatus capable of eillciently `and effectively maintaining beer, ale, `and other beverages 'at a predetermined temperature from a place of storage, such as a cellar or basement, to the place of dispensing, s uch as a bar. l

a beverage cooler of this character having a lower cooler for cooling and' maintaining a quantity of beverages in a/cfoolcondition `as such beverages comeV from kegs or other containers, and l provided with supply tubes extending' from the lower cooler to dispensing faucets or spigots and passing through an upper cooler and surrounded by cooling jacket pipes for circulating a cooling medium, such as ice water or the like, to the upper cooler through the cooling jacket pipes from the lower cooler and back to the lower cooler for recirculation, whereby the beer,` ale, or other beverage being dispensed will be constantly maintained at a predetermined temperature.

A further object of the invention is to lprovide a beverage cooling apparatus adapted to dispense a plurality of different kinds of beverages and capable of maintaining the same at a predetermined temperature while passing from the kegs or other containers to the dispensing faucets.

Withthese and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novelv combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described,-illustrated in'the accompanying drawingsv and pointed out in theclaims hereto appended: it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, partly diagrammatic, of a beverage cooling apparatus constructed in accordance withthe present invention.

Figure 2 is a centralvertical longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken sub-` stantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectionalV view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an'enlarged detail sectional view illustrating the construction `of ,the adjustable A further object of the invention is to providey transverse pipes of the lower cooler with the exteror connecting pipes.

Figure 6 is a detail view of section.

Figure 7 is a detail viewf of the tubular member. l

Figure 8 is a detail View of the plain sleeve or bushing.`

Figure 9 is la detail view t of the interiorly threaded sleeve or bushing.

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail view of the union or coupling rfor closing the lower ends of the .jacket pipes.

Figure l1 is a perspective view of the group of cooling compartments.

Figure 12 is asimilar view of one of the compartments with one of the side plates separated from the body portion of the compartment.

In the accompanyingA drawings, in which is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, the beverage cooling. apparatus for bars comprises a lower precooler I and an upper bar cooler 2 connected with the lower cooler by vertical supply pipes 3 extending from tanks or chambers 4 in the lower cooler to faucets or spigots 5 carried by the upper cooler and from which beer, ale, and other beverages are dispensed. The lower cooler is designed to be located in a cellar or basement below the floor 6 of the room in which the bar 1 is placed and is provided with a plurality of the cooling compartments or chambers 4, which are supplied with the beverages from kegs 8 or other suitable containers. Inv the ,accompanying drawings, six beverage cooling compartments or chambers 4- are illustrated, but the number may be ,varied as will be readily understood and, while they may be constructed in any desired manner, they may be conveniently` formed by spaced vertical parallel partitions dividing the casing 9 into separate partitions or chambers, but the compartments preferably consist of separate units comprising a rectangular body portion 9a and side plates or partitions 9b. Each rectangular body portion 9a is provided with outwardly extending marginal flanges 9c-to which the marginal portions of the plates or partitions 9b are suitably secured to form liquidtight joints or connections. The front panel or portion 9d of each unit is preferably removable and the said casing and units may be constructed of stainless steel, glass-lined metal, or any 4other suitable materialyand the units are preferably arranged within the casing 9, but, when the lower cooler consists of separate units, the casing 9 may be omitted. The side plates or partitions the smooth pipe v Each of the panels 3d is provided atits top portion with an opening i3 to receive a pipe Il for connecting the cooling compartment or chamber with the keg 3, and it has a bottom opening i2 and is provided thereat with a suitable drain cock i3 for enabling the compartments to be drained and cleaned when required. Thepipe Ii, which may be secured in the upper opening I3 in any suitable manner, has connected with it branches nected with any suitable compressed air supply and provided with controlling valves I1, I3, and i9 located in the pipe i3 and in the branches I4 and I3 for controlling the flow of compressed air through the main pipe I3 and also through the said branches i4 and i3 and thereby controlling the discharge of the beverage from the keg 3, whereby the beverage is forced from the keg to the dispensing faucet with which the keg is connected. The compressed air supply pipes may be arranged in any suitable manner, and the beverage supply pipes 3, which extend through the top wall of the casing of the lower cooler to a point within a short distance of the bottoms ofthe cooling chambers or compartments 4, are suitably connected at their upper ends with the dispensing faucets. These supply pipes, which may be constructed of glass, stainless steel, or any other suitable material, are arranged within cooling jacket pipes 23 constructed of brass or any other suitable rustproof or rust-resisting material.

The jacket pipes, through which a cooling medium such as ice water is passed, extend from the top of the lower cooler through the bottom of the upper cooler and have perforated upper portions 2i which terminate short of faucets 3 to permit the liquid cooling medium to flow from the jacket pipes into the upper cooler 2. 'Ihe upper cooler 2, which has its top portion arranged within a suitable recess or opening 22 in the bar 1, is preferably constructed of suitable sheet metaly and the jacket pipes are provided at the bottom of the 'upper cooler with suitable packing means 23 for forming a water or liquidtight joint or connection between the bottom of the upper cooler and the jacket'pipes, whereby leakage of liquid from the upper cooler is effectually prevented. The lower end of each jacket pipe is closed by a rubber washer or packing 24 arranged within asectional union 23 connecting the lower ends of pipe sections 23 and 21, which constitutes the lower portion of the jacket pipe. The lower-v pipe section is provided at the llower end withan annular flange 23, which is preferably secured to the top wall of the lower cooler to form a water-tight joitor connection between the said 'pipe section 21 and the lcoolingchamberor compartment of the water cooler. over which said pipe section is mounted. o

The jacket pipes are provided above the unions 25 with four-way couplings 23, which receive short pipes or nipples 33 for connecting the jacket pipes with one another. The coupling 3| at one end of the series of the vertical jacket pipes is preferably a three-way coupling', and the cou pling of the pipe at the other end of the series receives at its outer side a horizontal pipe section 32, which is connected by an elbow coupling 33 with a short vertical pipe section 34, and the lower end. of theI pipe vsection 34 is connected with one end of a horizontal transverse pipe 33 extending across the lower cooler from one side aisaesc ofthe sametotheothersidethereof. 'Ihe pipe 33 constitutes one of a sexies of such pipes, which are arranged in vertically spaced horizontal sets constructed of Vbrass or other suitable material and welded, brazed, or otherwise secured to and extending through the vertical partitions 3b.

Preferably six of the horizontal sets or groups of the pipes 33 are provided, but the number of the Pipes in the groups and the number of groups may be varied according to the capacity of the lower cooler. The pipes of each horizontal set are connected at their opposite ends with one another to form a horizontal cooling coil. and the coils are connected alternately at the front and backof the lower cooler, so that the ice water or other cooling medium may be circulated through the series of coils by a pump 33 which is connected with one of the end pipes of the lowermost coil by a discharge pipe 31 and with the upper cooler 2 by a return or intake pipe 33. The pump, which may be of any desired construction, is adapted to cause a continuous circulation of the liquid cooling medium through the horizontal coils of the lower cooler and the jacket pipes which surround the supply pipes that extend from the cooling chambers or compartments of the lower cooler to the dispensing faucets of the upper cooler.

The pipe connections between the ends of the horizontal pipes of the cooling coils of the lower cooler consist of short pipe sections 33 and elbow couplings `43 and adjustable connecting means consisting of a smooth pipe section 4I, relatively slidable end sleeves 42 and 43, and a tubular member 44 which is threaded into the sleeve or bushing 43 and which is provided at its inner end with a collar 43 having a ground peripheral surface, which forms a tight'connection between the interior of the pipe or tube 4| and the tubular member 44. The outer sleeve 43 is interiorly threaded and the outer end 43 of the tubular member 44 is exteriorly threaded to ensage the interior threads of the sleeve or bushing 43, which is also adapted to receive a short pipe section or nipple 41 for connecting the said sleeve or bushing 43 with the adjacent elbow coupling 43 of the exterior pipe connection 39. The inner and outer sleeves or bushings 42 and 43 are providedwith longitudinal slots 43 and 43, which receive pins or projections 33 and 3l of the tube 4I, whereby the inner and outer sleeves or bushings are slidably connected with the tube 4|. The tubular member 44 is provided adjacent its inner end with a transverse pin 32, and the interiorly threaded sleeve or bushing 43 is provided with a similar transverse pin 33, and the said pins are adapted to be engaged by a wrench 34 consisting of a round rod provided with an end slot or recesss 33 adapted to receive the transverse pin of the member to which the wrench is applied. I'he slotted wrenches will enable the tubular member 44 to be readily screwed into the interiorly threaded sleeve or bushing 43.

'Ihe apparatus is provided below the dispensing faucets 3 with a drain board 33, and a drain pipe 31 extends downwardly from the drain board and may empty into' a sewer or other means of disposal of liquid from the drain board. Instead of employing air under pressure for forcing the beverages from the containers to the dispensing faucets, any other suitable gas may be 'Ihe pump 33 may be operated by any suitable means, such as an electric motor 33;' and any suitable means, such as a belt 33 and pulleys 33 and 3i, may be employed for transmitting motion a water or other liquid for circulation through the of the beverages when the same are dispensed from the motor toithe pump. Ice or any other rei'rigerating means may be employed for cooling coils of the lower cooler, the jacket pipes, andthe upper cooler and, when the pump 36 is operated',`

it will cause.y the liquid'to ilow through the coils of the lower cooler and then upward through the jacket pipes and out through the upper ends and perforations of the jacket pipes into the upper cooler, from which the liquid returns to the pump.

AThe ,apparatus is adapted to maintain a plurality of separate beverages, such as beer and ale, at an even predetermined temperature, and the lower compartments are ydesigned -to be of suilicient capacity to maintain a quantity of the beveragesin a cool condition to insure the desired coolness What is claimed is:-

l. An apparatus for cooling beverages for` bars including a-lower cooler designed to be located in a cellar or basement and provided with a beverage cooling compartment, means foi" supplying a beverage to the compartment from a container and for subjecting the beverage to aeriform fluid pressure, an upper cooler spaced a material distance from the lower cooler designed to be locacated at a bar and provided with a dispensing faucet, a supply tube connected with the faucet and extending through theupper cooler and from the same to the cooling compartment of the lower cooler and constituting a pipe connection between the upper and lower coolers, whereby the upper and lower coolers may belocatedV in various pos'itions and at spaced points, a jacket pipe surrounding the supply tube and communicating with the upper and lower coolers, and means for causing a contintuous circulation of a cooling medium through the lower cooler, the jacket pipe and the upper cooler.

2. An apparatus for cooling beverages for bars including a lower cooler provided with a beverage cooling compartment, means for supplying a beverage to the compartment from a` container and for subjecting the beverage to aeriform fluid pressure, anupper cooler designed to be located at a bar and provided with a dispensing faucet, a supply tube connected with the dispensing faucet and extending therefrom to the cooling compartr ment of the lower cooler, a jacket pipe surrounding the supply tube and rextending substantially from the `lower cooler to and communicating with the upper coolerya cooling coil traversing the lower cooler and connected with the jacket pipe,

and a pump connected with the cooling coil and with the upper cooler for causing a continuous circulation of a cooling medium through the cooling coil, the jacket pipe and the upper cooler,

3. An apparatus for cooling beverages for bars including a lower cooler provided with a beverage cooling compartment, means for supplying a beverage to the compartment from a container and for subjecting the beverage to aeriform fluid pressure, an upper cooler; designed to be located at a bar and having dispensing means, a supply tube connected with the dispensing means and extending therefrom to the cooling compartment of the lower cooler, a jacket pipe surrounding the supply tube and having a perforated portion arranged within the upper cooler and open at the top and connected at its lower end with the lower cooler, and meansfor causing a circulation of a cooling medium through the lower cooler, the jacket pipe and the upper cooler.

4. An apparatus for cooling beverages for bars including a lower cooler provided with a beverage beverage to the compartment from a container and for subjecting the beverage to aeriform iluid pressure,an upper cooler designed to be located at a lbar and provided with dispensing means, a supply tube connected with the dispensing means and extending therefrom to the cooling compartment of the lower cooler, a jacket pipe surrounding the supply tube and having a perforated portionlocated within the upper cooler and open at the top, a coil traversing the lower cooler and connected with the jacket pipe, and means connected with the cooling coil and with the upper cooler for causinga continuous circulation of a cooling medium through the cooling coil, the jacket pipe and the upper cooler.

5.' An apparatus for cooling beverages for bars f'including a lower cooler provided with a beverage cooling compartment, means for 'supplying a beverage to the compartment from a container and for subjecting the beverage to aeriform fluid f pressure, an upper cooler designed `to be located at a bar and having dispensing means, a supply tube `connected with the dispensing means and .extending to the coolingcompartment of the lower cooler, a jacket pipe surrounding the supply tube and communicating at its upper end with the upper cooler, a series of vertically spaced cooling coils traversing the lower cooler and connected with one another and with the jacket pipe, and means connected with the cooling coils for causing a circulation through the same, the jacket pipe and the upper coo r.

6. An apparatus for coolin beverages for bars including a lower cooler designed to be located in a cellar or basement and-provided with a plurality of separate beverage cooling compartments, means for supplying beverages to the cooling compartments from containers-and for subjecting the beverages to aeriform iluid pressure, an upper cooler, spaced a material distance from the lower cooler and designed to be located at a bar in a room above that containing the lower cooler provided with a plurality of'dispensing faucets, supplyftubes connected with the dispensing faucets and extending therefrom through the upper cooler to the cooling compartments of the lower cooler and constituting pipe connections between the upper and lower coolers f whereby the upper and lower coolers may be located in various positions and at spaced points, jacket pipes surrounding the supply tubes and communicating with the upper and lower coolers, and means for causing a circulation of a cooling medium through the lower cooler, the jacket pipes and the upper cooler.

'7. An apparatus for cooling beverages for bars including a lower cooler provided with a transverse series of vertical liquid cooling compartments, a series of vertically spaced horizontal coils traversing the lower Vcooler and passing through the liquid cooling compartments there-l 8. An apparatus for cooling beverages including a lower cooler provided with a plurality o! beverage cooling compartments, means for supplying beverages to the compartments from containers, cooling coils traversing the lower cooler and connected with one another, an upper cooler provided with a plurality of dispensing means. supply pipes connected with the dispensing means and extending therefrom to the cooling compartments of the lower cooler, Jacket pipes surrounding the supply tubes and communicating at their upper ends with the upper cooler and at their lower ends with the cooling coils, and a pump connected with the cooling coils and with the upper cooler for causing a continuous circulation of a cooling medium through the cooling coils, the jacket pipes and the upper cooler.

9. An apparatus for cooling beverages including a lower cooler provided with a beverage cooling compartment, means for supplying a beverage to the compartment from a container, an upper cooler provided with dispensing means, a supply tube communicating with and extending from the dispensing means to the cooling compartment of the lower cooler, a jacket pipe surrounding the supply tube and communicating with the upper cooler and extending therefrom and terminating short oi' the lower cooler, a pipe section extending from the lower cooler to the jacket pipe, a union connecting the pipe section with the jacket pipe and having packing means for closing the lower end of the jacket pipe, means for connecting the jacket pipe with the lower cooler, and means for causing a circulation of a cooling medium through the lower cooler, the jacket pipe and the upper cooler.

10. An apparatus ior cooling beverages including a lower cooler having a plurality of liquid cooling compartments, an upper cooler-having dispensing means, supply pipes extending from the dispensing means through the upper cooler to the cooling compartments of the lower cooler, jacket pipes surrounding the supply pipes and communicating at their upper ends with the upper cooler, couplings connecting the lower ends of the jacket pipes with one another, means for closing the lower ends of the jacket pipes, a cooling coil traversing the compartments of the lower cooler and connected with the Jacket pipes, and means connected with the cooling coil and with the upper cooler for causing a circulation of a cooling medium through the cooling coil, the jacket pipes and the upper cooler.

11. An apparatus for cooling beverages including a lower cooler having a plurality of separate vertically disposed beverage cooling compartments, smooth tubes passing through the compartments, means for connecting the tubes with one another to i'orm cooling coils for the passage of a cooling medium, said connecting means including an adjustable connection for each end of said tubes comprising a smooth pipe section, inner and outer sleeves arranged within the smooth pipe section and slidably connected therewith, the outer sleeve being interiorly threaded and the inner sleeve being provided with a liquid tight packing and a tubular member arranged within the smooth pipe section and provided at its outer end with threads for engaging the interior threads o! the outer sleeve and having a collar at its inner end forming a liquid tight contact with the interior ci the smooth pipe section, an upper cooler having dispensing means, supply tubes extending from the dispensing means to the compartments of the lower cooler, jacket pipes surrounding the supply tubes and communicating with .the upper cooler and with the coil oi' the lower cooler, and means for causing a circulation of a cooling medium through the coilot the lower cooler, the jacket pipes and the upper cooler.

12. An apparatus for cooling beverages including a lower cooler having a plurality of separate vertically disposed beverage cooling compartments, smooth tubes passing through the cornpartments, means for connecting the tubes with one another to form cooling coils for the passage of a cooling medium. said connecting means including an adjustable connection for each end of said tubes comprising a smooth pipe section provided at its inner and outer portions with interior projections, inner and outer sleeves having slots engaged by the said projections, the outer sleeve being interiorly threaded and a tubular member arranged within the smooth pipe section and threaded at its outer end and engaging the interior threads of the outer sleeve, an upper cooler having dispensing means. supply tubes 'extending irom the dispensing means to the compartments oi the lower cooler, Jacket pipes sur--v rounding the supply tubes and communicating with the upper cooler and with the coil of the lower cooler, and means for causing a circulation oi a cooling medium through the coil of the lower cooler, the Jacket pipes and the upper cooler. l

13. An apparatus for cooling beverages including a lower cooler provided with a plurality of beverages cooling compartments consisting of separate units comprising a substantially rectangular body portion having a removable front panel and side plates provided with openings, cooling coils traversing the lower cooler and having pipes passing through the openings in the side plates oi the said units, an upper cooler provvided with dispensing means, a supply pipe extending i'rom the dispensing means to the lower cooler and connected with the cooling coils, a Jacket pipe surrounding the supply tube and extending irom the upper cooler and connected with the cooling coils of the lower cooler, and means for circulating a cooling medium through the lower cooling coils, the jacket pipe and the upper cooler.

14. An apparatus for cooling beverages for bars including a lower cooler provided with a plurality of separate liquid cooling compartments and designed to be located in a cellar or basement, a cooling coil having portions traversing the compartments of the lower cooler, means for supplying beverages to the separate compartments of the lower cooler, an upper cooler containing a cooling liquid and located at a bar in a room above that containing the lower cooler, a plurality o! dispensing means located adjacent the upper cooler, supply pipes connected with the dispensing means and extending through the upper cooler and from the same to the compartments of the lower cooler, pipes extending from the upper cooler and connected with the coil o! the lower cooler, said pipes permitting the upper and lower coolers to be located in various positions and at spaced points, and means for causing a circulation of the cooling liquid from the upper cooler to and through the coil of the lower cooler and back to the upper cooler.

JACOB J. SPITZ. 

